Cosmo Babylonia (Galactic Century)
Cosmo Babylonia is one of the primary factions of Mobile Suit Gundam Alpha. A nation that holds dominion over the Babylonia Sector, is renowned throughout the galaxy as a "cosmic aristocracy" ruled over by the elite Ronah family. It is also a member of the Outer Powers. History Formation Cosmo Babylonia began its life as a single inhabited solar system, located on the outer edge of the galaxy. One of a cluster of systems that made up what came to be known as the Babylonia Sector, it was the most developed and populous. Though a relative backwater compared to the likes of Earth or Zeon, Babylonia nevertheless evolved a sophisticated culture, with a relatively democratic system of government. Its capital city was Uruk. But like all too many societies across the galaxy, Babylonia fell to internal conflict, initially over resources, but more intractably over ideology. Furious arguments over matters such as identity, religion, public morality, and the proper distribution of wealth, saw the entrenchment of mutually hostile factions; between whom rational debate, or even civility, became increasingly impossible. All the while, an increasingly febrile media fed the chaos for its own profit. To those who found this unpalatable, or outright unbearable, the only option was to flee public life altogether. Growing numbers did so, establishing themselves in the planet’s wilderness zones, or fleeing the planet altogether. The wealthier among them built grand homes, containing all they needed, and established automated farms to keep them fed without the inconvenience and risk of employing human workers. The less well-resourced could not live so luxuriously, but still prospered off their hard work. Between them, these new-aristocrats were a tough, individualistic, and capable bunch. Out in the sector, a similar group began to appear. Economic shifts across the outer rim had disrupted trade, which along with Babylonia’s social problems caused economic contraction and poverty across the entire sector. Unscrupulous shippers and desperate colonists resorted to piracy and banditry to survive, throwing the whole sector into chaos. Nevertheless, the region continued to attract adventurers and thrill-seekers, from Babylonia or far beyond. Some of these became pirates themselves, while others tried to defend the helpless colonies they preyed-upon, forming a loose class of warrior-heroes whom some mythologists have compared to such ancient Terran worthies as the knights of Europe, the Wuxia of China, or the Fianna of Ireland. For those accustomed to a civilized, bureaucratic, and democratic society, this was all rather unsettling, if occasionally entertaining. But there was one among Babylonia’s wealthy elite who saw something good in these characters, the possibility of a better future. His name was Scharnhorst Ronah. Rise of the Ronahs Apprenticing in his family's salvage business, young Scharnhorst would grow to find his own way through the more respectable mining and shipping industries. An artistic, intellectual character, Scharnhorst hated the hysteria and cruelty that had taken over Babylonian public life. He was also enamored with the ancient ideals of chivalry and aristocracy, and wondered if such a system might suit Babylonia better than its crumbling democracy. In the neo-aristocrats who built new lives for themselves in the wilderness, or who struggled against pirates among the stars, he found his aristocrats. Over time, he reached out to these hardy men and women, winning them over with his vision of ‘Cosmic Aristocracy’; a code of honor and noblesse oblige under which the noblest and bravest would rule for the good of all. Through a combination of oratory, bribery, and in some cases threats, Scharnhorst was able to assemble a private fleet of privateers; many of them raised from among the very pirates they were tasked with opposing. This was the first Crossbone Vanguard, and was commanded by Scharnhorst’s eldest son, Engheist, in his absence. Commanding from his flagship, the Mother Vanguard, Engheist traveled around the Babylonia Sector, putting down pirates and warlords, and drawing neo-aristocrats and the planets they ruled to his father’s banner. Over time, this fleet of what looked to Babylonia like mysterious vigilantes gradually suppressed the disorder, and trade began to flow once again. But perhaps inevitably, the Crossbone Vanguard began to attract suspicion, as did its erstwhile founder. Scharnhorst had long been a controversial figure in Babylonian politics, partly because of his ideals, but also because of his wilful attitude. He had long since earned notoriety by arming his freighters in defiance of navigation laws; citing the inability of the Babylonian government to protect his interests. As the years went by, it did not go unnoticed that his ships were less and less likely to be attacked, even when the Crossbone Vanguard was active. It also did not go unnoticed that a substantial proportion of the new wealth flowing in from restored interstellar trade was flowing straight into Scharnhorst’s pocket; his companies having lost fewer ships than others, leaving them in a better position to take advantage of better times. At the same time, Scharnhorst’s success was beginning to make him overconfident, and nemesis was shadowing his hubris. He had taken to going about accompanied by a bodyguard force of neo-aristocrats and mercenaries, and spent as little time on Babylonia as he could. But for all the resentment he attracted among his peers and in civil society, he remained remarkably popular with ordinary Babylonians. One of the few institutions that universally despised him was the military, who regarded him as a troublemaker, and had long suspected his involvement with the Crossbone Vanguard. Matters came to a head in the Galactic Century's twelfth year, when prosecutors finally issued a warrant for Scharnhorst’s arrest, citing breach of navigation laws, piracy, illegal arms manufacture, and tax irregularities. Scharnhorst got word of this and intended to confront the Legislature, only to be faced with a detachment of police officers attempting to arrest him. A fight broke out, with each side blaming the other afterwards. Regardless, his bodyguards fought their way clear and rushed Scharnhorst to his ship, whereupon he fled the system. Once clear, he met up with the Crossbone Vanguard under Engheist, and a fleet of his armed freighters under the command of his younger son Meitzer. Shortly afterwards, he learned that the government had launched a full-scale crackdown on ‘antisocial elements’; including several members of his extended family and many of his supporters and sympathisers. Several of those had already been executed, on whatever basis the prosecutors could assemble. According to legend, Ronah wept at the news, cursing himself for what his hubris and bad judgment had allowed to occur. But it was also clear to him that only one course was possible; victory or death. Before his sons and relatives, and all his followers, he declared the government illegitimate, and vowed to tear it down by force. In accordance with the ancient traditions he had revived, his followers knelt before him, pledging their swords and their lives. Cosmo Babylonia The war that followed would drag on for four long years. Ironically, the increasingly authoritarian Babylonian government finally found the will and energy its predecessors had lacked, working to revamp their armed forces and seek out enemies. But Scharnhorst’s semi-covert empire building had given him assets all across the Babylonia Sector, including the mines, foundries, and shipyards he needed to support his fleet. At first, his strategy was to starve Babylonia out, using his fast privateer ships to cut off Babylonian shipping, while his new warships launched raids on Babylonian military bases and patrol fleets. His pirate and aristocrat followers made an unlikely but powerful combination, with pirates crippling enemy warships with swift and deadly strikes, and aristocrats launching daring boarding actions. Every ship thus captured served to swell Scharnhorst’s fleet. After four years, the Crossbone Vanguard had pushed the Babylonian forces back to their home system, and the writing was seemingly on the wall. But the government refused to give up. Between their increasingly ruthless security apparatus, and their supporters real fear that a Ronah victory meant death for democracy, they were able to maintain control. Left with no alternative, Scharnhorst invaded the Babylonia system with his full forces; first capturing the outer planets and moons, then moving to besiege the capital world itself. Panic spread across the planet, and Scharnhorst saw one chance to end the war in one stroke. He bombarded Uruk with meteorites, and deployed his forces against the heavily-fortified government centre, known as the Kasr. The last battle was ferocious, as the government’s elite guard and paramilitary police forces fought to the death. But the Crossbone Vanguard was victorious, and the rest of the planet surrendered over the following weeks. By the end of G.C. 16, Scharnhorst had created a new government, and declared the interstellar state of Cosmo Babylonia, consisting of the entire Babylonia Sector. He ruled over this new state as a monarch, with the title of Patriarch, his powers and responsibilities laid out in the Babylonia Accords, itself both a constitution and a treaty to bind the various worlds and factions together. At the centre of the accords were the principles of individuality and aristocracy; that those of proven ability and worth had the right to command and rule, and the duty to do so in a fair, just, and generous manner. A bicameral legislature - the Diet - was also established; with the elected lower house balancing an upper house of aristocrats. Aristocratic status was ultimately granted by the decision of the Patriarch, and was revokable after three generations if the holders did not enter some form of public service, including military service. Scharnhorst proved a wise ruler, and his new elite caste of aristocrats were capable and energetic, backed in turn by a population weary of war and yearning for a new and better age. Over Scharnhorst’s lifetime, Babylonia developed into a jewel of the Outer Rim, with few to match it in wealth or sophistication, and her colonies grew in turn. By the time of Scharnhorst’s death in G.C. 97, Cosmo Babylonia was a substantial power in its own right, and well on the way to becoming a galactic power. But this new order did not go completely without resistance. Some abhorred the new Cosmic Aristocracy, raging at a society that privileged some over others to such a degree, even if it was at least theoretically built on proven merit. They agitated and plotted, and on occasion rebelled, but to little effect. As interstellar trade was restored, and pan-galactic travel became possible again, dissidents increasingly chose emigration over revolt. Nevertheless a few lingered on in isolated areas of the sector, choosing the longstanding profession of piracy as a way of striking back, or else simply to survive. Ironically, all too many aristocrats and would-be aristocrats also became pirates, whether out of boredom or poverty, or simply in order to live free. As such, piracy remained a part of life in the Babylonia Sector for generations to come. Iron Mask, Iron Heart Despite some relatively minor conflicts with neighbouring powers, notably the Nergal Dominion and even Zeon, Cosmo Babylonia remained relatively stable and peaceful for centuries afterwards. The only military formation to see regular action was the Crossbone Vanguard, which survived as a frontier fleet and specialised pirate-hunting unit. This continued until the latter quarter of the 4th century G.C., as relations between the Earth Federation and the Empire of Zeon deteriorated. Relations between Cosmo Babylonia and the Earth Federation, though not overtly hostile, had never been good. The Earth Federation tended to regard Cosmo Babylonia as a backward, undemocratic, and elitist space empire, and a lesser but still significant threat than Zeon. Cosmo Babylonia had long since established good relations with Zeon, and together with the Nergal Dominion and the Zanscare Consortium they formed a powerful alliance across the Outer Rim, enough to keep the Earth Federation and its own allies at bay. This situation changed in G.C. 364, as Gihren Zabi took the Zeon throne. At that time, the Patriarch of Cosmo Babylonia was Meitzer Ronah, named for Scharnhost’s younger son, who had himself been Cosmo Babylonia’s third Patriarch. Though aging, Meitzer had proven himself a shrewd and capable ruler, who had won respect - sometimes grudgingly - across the galaxy for his good judgment and diplomacy. These qualities had allowed him to maintain Cosmo Babylonia’s position in the Outer Rim, despite its armed forces falling behind the technological curve. But the realities of war could not be avoided forever, and in G.C. 340, Meitzer authorized the design and construction of a new range of warships; masterminded by the brilliant shipbuilder Koba Zamouth. After many years of development, with the designs undergoing numerous changes to keep up with technological development, the first of the Zamouth series warships were launched in G.C. 356. Within ten years, Cosmo Babylonia’s regular fleet would be made up entirely of Zamouth designs. But Meitzer had problems at home, notably with his daughter Nadia and her husband, the brilliant scientist Carozzo. Hailing from a prestigious family of scientists that had immigrated to Babylonia from Earth, Carozzo Buch would cross paths with the Ronahs upon his entering the Engeist Ronah Academy, being placed in the same class as Nadia. The pair, and their families alongside, would grow close in the coming years, with the Buchs eventually gaining aristocratic status and Carozzo gaining Nadia's hand and Meitzer's personal approval. Carozzo would take on the Ronah name through this marriage and go on to sire two children with Nadia: a son, Dorel, and a daughter, Berah. Originally the union was quite romantic, such that the story of the capable but otherwise common/foreign born Carozzo winning the heart of Patriarch Meitzer's daughter being a favorite subject throughout Babylonia. As time went on however, the marriage began to deteriorate under unclear circumstances. Needless to say, much speculation has been given over this advent. Some say it began over Carozzo’s push to further expand the Cosmo Babylonian military with new weapons, possibly including weapons of mass destruction, while others cite more personal reasons, such as Nadia chafing under Carozzo’s growing influence and increasing hunger for power. Following the latter line of thought, many more would claim that Carozzo was beginning to give into the madness that would consume him (and much of the galaxy) in the years to come, and Nadia was simply unable to cope. In the end, Nadia would perish under circumstances known only to her father and husband. Her death would completely break Carozzo, namely of whatever humanity he still retained. Becoming obsessed with distancing himself from the weak, pathetic man he perceived himself, he would go on to alter his body through a combination of cybernetics and genetic engineering. The process, while enhancing his physical capabilities beyond even those of a Zeon, would leave him horrifically disfigured, such that Carozzo would be forced to conceal his entire body from then on. He would even go as far as to wear a metal helm that he personally created, which Carozzo saw as the final element to his transformation. A transformation that would turn him into an entirely new, "superior" entity, whose very name would come to be synonymous with terror and infamy. That name was Iron Mask. Once the final stages of his conditioning were completed, Carozzo threw himself entirely into the development of new weapons for Cosmo Babylonia, including prototype mobile weapons in response to the Earth Federation’s Guntank and Ball. He was even permitted to raise a specialized unit, the Iron Guard, to test these new weapons. By contrast, he had little time for either of his children, who he shipped them off to the Citadel, Babylonia's prestigious military academy, upon their coming of respective age. Dorel would go onto serve in the Cosmo Armada while Berah entered the Crossbone Vanguard, whose command she would be granted (by Patriarch Meitzer himself) in G.C. 370. This may have been the final straw that drove Iron Mask down the path of darkness. If not that, then Meitzer’s growing concern over Emperor Gihren and his aggressive, militaristic policies. This was motivated partly by a desire to avoid the general conflagration that seemed inevitable if war broke out, but also distrust of Gihren’s motives. Zeon had expressed interest in Cosmo Babylonian territories over the centuries, and had to be dissuaded away more than once. If the Earth Federation and its fellow Inner Powers fell to Zeon, there would be little to stop it turning on its erstwhile allies. It is for this reason, rumour has it, that Meitzer intended to break the alliance with Zeon, either to remain neutral or else to side with the Inner Powers. This was a complication Gihren could do without. Regardless of the reasons, in G.C.372 Iron Mask launched a coup d’etat against Meitzer. Backed by his loyal Iron Guards, Iron Mask overwhelmed Meitzer’s guards and killed the old man - purportedly with his bare hands - along with anyone he feared might threaten him. At this time, his son Dorel was on a fleet deployment far from the throneworld, while Berah too was busy on the frontier. Though Dorel silenced his doubts and at least professed to remain loyal, Berah did precisely the opposite and led the Crossbone Vanguard out of Cosmo Babylonia, disappearing into the depths of space. Her fate would remain unknown for sometime. First Galactic War With Meitzer’s death, and Carozzo’s accession as Patriarch, any doubts that Cosmo Babylonia would honor its alliance with Zeon were silenced. In G.C. 377, Cosmo Babylonian forces joined those of Zeon in a surprise attack on the Inner Powers. Cosmo Babylonia’s battle plan was quite different to that of Zeon. Lacking the numbers for a Zeon-style advance-and-bypass approach, Cosmo Babylonia instead went for a more methodical plan; reflecting both its piratic and aristocratic heritage. As the activation signal went out, fast-moving cruiser squadrons launched into the neighbouring Hattusa Sector, attacking vital infrastructure targets and fleeing before Federation fleets could respond. The most famous of these attacks was led by Rear Admiral Dorel Ronah, who succeeded in destroying the vital Tarsus shipyard, along with dozens of Federation capital ships. In reward for his success, he was promoted to full admiral and granted command of the Third Fleet. As the cruiser squadrons fled, Federation squadrons threw caution to the wind and pursued them, vowing revenge, only to find themselves caught between the cruiser squadrons and the newly-arrived battlecruiser squadrons in a series of deadly traps. The Federation forces were largely destroyed, and the Hattusa sector all but overrun. Despite these successes, Cosmo Babylonian progress was noticeably slower than that of the Zeon forces, much to Gihren’s irritation. This was in part due to inferior numbers, but also because the Cosmo Babylonians did not use weapons of mass destruction against civilian targets, a method their sensibilities abhorred. Also, it did not go unnoticed in Zeon that Iron Mask was prioritizing the acquisition and fortification of certain systems, making Cosmo Babylonian territory easier to defend in the event of a Federation counter-attack. In other words, Iron Mask was prioritizing Cosmo Babylonia’s self-aggrandizement over the alliance’s mutual benefit. Gihren promptly rebuked Iron Mask, ordering him to get a move on. Iron Mask was quick to comply, ordering his forces to push on hard. The main target was the Freeden Confederacy, specifically the Battle Station Bull Run, which guarded the approach to the Sea of Lorelei. Taking or destroying the station would allow Cosmo Babylonia to push on into the center of Freeden’s territory, potentially collapsing the confederacy and forcing the Earth Federation to reinforce it. Leading the charge was Admiral Dorel Ronah, commanding the reinforced Third Fleet, taking advantage of a feint by the Second and Fifth Fleets. His attack on Bull Run was initially successful, his mobile suits taking down the outer defense perimeter and allowing his ships to press on through, bombarding the fortress and all but wiping out the defending forces. The attack would almost certainly have been a success, but for the sudden arrival of the Freeden First Fleet under the command of Admiral Ennil El. Highly intelligence-focused, Ennil had guessed Dorel’s intentions based on an unlikely series of clues and rushed her fleet to Bull Run without orders. Trapped between what remained of Bull Run and Ennil’s fleet, Dorel was forced to fight his way clear. Government and Politics Structure Ruled by the elite Ronah family, Cosmo Babylonia is a "cosmic aristocracy", in which the ruling government consists of nobility (in this case the Ronah family) who are directly responsible for the common peoples' betterment. In spite of this design however, the "common" citizenry of Cosmo Babylonia enjoy a high standard of living and quality of life that does not exist in most other star nations, all due to the Ronah family's practice and emphasis of noblesse oblige. The official head of the Ronah family, and therefore Cosmo Babylonia's head of state, is the Patriarch. Economics Society and Culture Cosmo Babylonia is run on the principles of Cosmo Aristocracy, which believes that those of noble birth have an obligation to rule. As such, there are certain positions that only nobles are able to obtain (such as high ranking command positions in the military). Military Cosmo Armada One of Cosmo Babylonia's two primary military branches, effectively serving as its naval force. Founded by Scharnhorst Ronah in G.C. 16, the Cosmo Armada was imbued from the beginning with the ideals of Cosmic Aristocracy. Over the centuries that followed, it would develop a reputation for professionalism, honorable conduct and deadly prowess. For much of this period, the Armada followed the ‘big battleships’ approach that other space forces abided by, based around ever large and more powerful warships with the occasional use of starfighters. As with it ground based contemporary, the Cosmo Militia, the Armada was always a relatively small institution, a state of affairs deriving from Cosmo Babylonia’s history and national character. In creating a conventional military force, Scharnhorst Ronah faced an intractable problem: how to base such a force around merit and devoted service, while also respecting the hereditary principles of Cosmic Aristocracy. His answer was to create a small, devoted brotherhood of arms, holding itself to the highest standards, with a shared spirit that crossed class boundaries. As a result, the modern Armada remains small but well-trained and highly motivated, deadly in battle, but ill-equipped to cope with long, attrition based warfare. The Armada's makeup reflects this tendency. Its primary units are cruiser and battlecruiser squadrons, usually numbering between two and six warships. These, in turn, are combined into fleets, which vary in size according to available resources, their intended role and the status of their commanders. The Armada's tactics generally involve probing attacks and raids by cruiser squadrons, serving to reconnoitre enemy territory, destroy or degrade enemy assets, and then flee before enemy forces can respond. Ideally, these attacks will lure enemy forces out of position, allowing the main fleets to crush them piecemeal. Amid the countdown to the First Galactic War, the Cosmo Armada replaced its older designs with the new Zamouth series of warships: the dreadnought Zamouth Garr - which served as Babylonia's flagship the way the Birmingham did Earth and Gwadan for Zeon - the Zamouth Giri-class battlecruiser, the Zamouth Jeth-class cruiser and the Zamouth Nada-class escort. These designs brought the Armada into the modern era, and were fortuitously designed with modular hangars, allowing them to be easily upgraded to carry the new mobile suits. Babylonian mobile suits were based on a somewhat different design philosophy than those of Zeon or the Earth Federation. The approach was broadly similar to that of Zeon, with a focus on anti-mobile-weapon combat, but Babylonian designers chose not to simply copy the Zaku. What was needed was a mobile suit that would reign supreme in the hands of well-trained pilots; fast, agile and well-armed enough to make a difference. Observation of what was known of mobile weapon combat convinced designers, led by Carozzo Ronah, that individual survivability was the least concern. Mobile suits were so small that, when considered in a broader context, almost anything could kill them, especially in the era of beam weaponry. As a result, the Babylonian units tended to cut back on heavier armor in favor of advanced lightweight composites, while improving the power supply and power distribution and providing as much agility as possible. The first fruit of this process was the [[BM-001 Denan Zon|BM-001 Denan Zon]], Cosmo Babylonia’s first mass-production mobile suit. Equipped with a relatively powerful Apollo Reactor and corresponding drive systems, it was both fast and agile, more than capable of surpassing its opposition in movement. Its choice weapon was the Shot Lancer, essentially a harpoon launcher capable of destroying mobile suits directly or over short distances, while also mounting (at least) two beam machine guns for supplementary firepower. It was backed by the [[BM-002 Denan Gei|BM-002 Denan Gei]], which complemented the Zon’s short-range focus with a medium to long-range focus by adding a shoulder-mounted missile launcher. Cosmo Militia Iron Guard The Iron Guard began as the personal retinue of Carozzo Ronah, a common practice among the Ronah family and the wider Cosmic Aristocracy. As he was put in charge of mobile suit development (as well as took on the Iron Mask persona), the Iron Guard grew into a testing unit for the first mobile suits and gradually into a small private army. During his coup d'etat, Iron Mask used the Iron Guard to attack the Kasr - the citadel of government in the capital - and clear out his father-in-law's Bodyguard Corps. Once enthroned as Patriarch, the Iron Guard took the Bodyguard Corps' place, with the survivors fleeing into space. Some of them pledged allegiance to Iron Mask's estranged daughter, Berah. The Iron Guard is primarily a mobile suit force, but also includes elite infantry units serving primarily as bodyguards and on occasion as assassins. Crossbone Vanguard Originally starting out as a band of space pirates, the Crossbone Vanguard were driven into exile by the Earth Federation's crackdown on piracy. Finding themselves on the Outer Rim, they were taken in by the Ronah Family, who employed them as privateers. Under Scharnhorst Ronah's command, they absorbed the private warbands of local neo-aristocrats, and took on a new character that reflected the mixed piratic and aristocratic heritage of Cosmo Babylonia. Over the centuries that followed, the Crossbone Vanguard became a more formal military institution, serving as an elite frontier guard fleet and pirate-hunting force. Nevertheless, many pirates and privateers took service in its ranks - whether out of preference or to escape punishment - and it continued to retain a somewhat wild character compared to the more staid Cosmo Armada. In G.C. 370, the Crossbone Vanguard would fall under the command of Captain Berah Ronah, Patriarch Meitzer's granddaughter. When word was received of the death of the Patriarch's at the hands of Berah's father, the Vanguard was quick to pledge its allegiance and follow her into exile. For a time, they would attempt to replicate Scharnhorst Ronah's original insurrection, their intent to oust Iron Mask and establish Berah as the succeeding Matriarch. However, after three years of continuous fighting and little headway, Berah would make the ultimate decision to lead her depleted Vanguard to Earth, seeking an alliance with the Federation. This would prove fruitful as the Federation, intent on fighting Iron Mask without going straight to war (at least at that time), would provide the pirate force with much needed logistical support (primarily through the shell company Blackrow Shipping) and safe haven, thereby allowing Berah and her followers to continue their crusade. Notes Trivia *As its name suggests, Cosmo Babylonia is based upon a from the . Alongside this, the associated can be considered an amalgamation of the organization's various forms, being a private army and a pirate (privateer) band simultaneously.